Assessment of Risk Management Perceptions and Practices of Dissertation

Evaluation of Risk Management Perceptions and Practices of Construction Contractors - Dissertation Example 7 Methodology †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Ethical contemplations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Introduction The development business is a wellspring of dangers and vulnerabilities. This is valid in any nation, particularly in Saudi Arabia, which has encountered a development blast these previous three decades due to the tremendous oil incomes filled government coffers. Dangers account in physical terms, yet additionally in theoretical terms like monetary and financial results. Temporary workers devise intends to oversee dangers and to pre-empt issues and dangers during and after development. Overseeing dangers includes dealing with the wellbeing and security of the development venture or the got done with building and the laborers and representatives in that. Hazard the executives likewise includes investigating issues or amazements that will happen during and after undertaking development. Dangers incorporate ecological perils brought about by development and destruction squanders, the wellbeing and security of the laborers, and dangers related with the plan of the structure whether it can withstand catastrophic events. Different dangers incorporate protection and incentive for cash or the business side of the development venture. Saudi Arabia has a long, sweltering summer, with a short, cool, winter season with negligible downpour. A few pieces of Saudi Arabia have a portion of the extraordinary climatic conditions, which are generally troublesome for contractual workers to work with. This is extremely negative to the tasks of any undertaking, and could prompt loss of profitability with respect to the proprietors and contractual workers. Hazard the board ought to think about this v iewpoint. (Shublaq, 1999, p. 277) Another angle temporary workers need to remember for chance administration is the importation of workers who are from different nations. Workers need to change in accordance with the sort of one of a kind culture Saudi Arabia has. Culture stun with respect to the workers influences the sort of work they produce. Noteworthiness of the examination This paper gives a short evaluation of how development contractual workers in Saudi Arabia utilize hazard the executives recognitions and practices. The noteworthiness of the investigation uncovers the normal acts of temporary workers in overseeing dangers, and future issues and potential postpones that may happen while development is progressing. The examination will in this manner look to respond to the accompanying inquiries What hazard the executives strategies are accessible to development contractual worker in Saudi Arabia? What is the degree of utilization of these hazard the executives methods by the development temporary workers? What is the significance of authoritative hazard the board among development organizations in Saudi Arabia? What are the difficulties confronted be development contractual workers in Saudi Arabia in utilizing hazard the executives methods? Point of the exploration The point of this paper is to decide the degree to which chance administration strategies are utilized development temporary workers in Saudi Arabia and furthermore decide the view of development expert to different development dangers. Destinations To recognize chance administration methods utilized by temporary workers in Saudi Arabia To decide the degree of utilization of distinguished hazard the board procedures among Saudi development organizations To decide the significance of authoritative hazard the board among Saudi development organizations To recognize difficulties looked by Saudi development organizations in utilizing hazard the executives strategies To prescribe successful appro aches to restrict the difficulties recognized in the

French Expressions Using Soir and Soirée

French Expressions Using Soir and Soirã ©e The French words un soir and une soirã ©e both mean night (we clarify the distinction here) and are likewise utilized in numerous articulations. Huge numbers of the articulations including soirâ and soirã ©eâ are figures of speech - phrases with implications that cant be gotten from an immediate interpretation of the words they use. With this rundown of articulations utilizing soirâ andâ soirã ©e,â you can figure out how to state as often as possible utilized colloquialisms like anâ evening supper, an evening person, formal wear and then some. Normal French Expressions With Soir prendre matin midi et soirto be taken multiple times a dayau soir de sa vieto be at night of his lifeles cours du soirnight classesã ªtre du soirto be a night owlIl est arrivã © un playmate soir.He turned up one evening.le repas du soirevening mealune robe du soirevening gownle soir slide/tombeevening is shutting inla veille au soirthe past eveningVoulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir ?Do you need to lay down with me this evening? Normal French Expressions Using Soire bonne soirã ©ehave a pleasant eveningune soirã ©eparty, evening performanceune soirã ©e dansantedance​la behavior de soirã ©eformal wear, evening dressla behavior de soirã ©e de rigueurblack tie

How to Manage Your Time to Maximise your Blogging

How to Manage Your Time to Maximise your Blogging Make Money Online Queries? Struggling To Get Traffic To Your Blog? Sign Up On (HBB) Forum Now!How to Manage Your Time to Maximise your BloggingUpdated On 11/10/2017Author : HBB Guest AuthorTopic : BloggingShort URL : https://hbb.me/2xyXqWv CONNECT WITH HBB ON SOCIAL MEDIA Follow @HellBoundBlogHave you noticed how much blogging goes on nowadays? Everybody seems to be doing it!To succeed in the competitive world of blogging, you need to establish your own unique voice and identity. You want to build your brand through good content and engagement on the blogging platform, both requiring time and effort. It’s important to create content that stands out and captures the attention of your audience in a saturated field. Or you just won’t get noticed!If you don’t spend time on research and focus on the best quality and quantity of content, you’ll fall behind. You may be posting a zillion articles a month, but if the content is not worth reading, why bother?As you spend your time b logging, you need to manage that time to create a balanced output, quantity and quality. You need both.Here are some tips that will help you manage your time better, and ensure you can create more good quality content:1. Understand how much time blogging needsYou can’t organize your schedule and create time for blogging without understanding how much time this entire process takes you. You don’t just need to account for the time you spend penning the article, but also the time spent on coming up with ideas, research, writing, editing, posting, and marketing or promoting the post.Calculate how much time you take to accomplish all of these tasks so you can understand how to organize your schedule and make sure you have ample room to work on them carefully. The time you need is likely to be different to others, as we all have different skill sets. Maybe you can research better than someone else, but their method of idea creation results in more ideas faster than yours does.If you r ush through the blogging process, you’re more likely to make mistakes, which can compromise the quality of the content.2. Determine how much you need to postConsistency is very important in blogging because if you’re not posting good content regularly, your target audience will look elsewhere for information. People only subscribe to blogs if they know they’ll get consistent content. It’s important to choose a pace that fits in with your lifestyle and professional obligations.For example, many professional bloggers tend to post three to five times a week in order to keep their audiences engaged. If you have other professional commitments, you can post anywhere between one to three times a week. Post on the same day and at the same time so your target audience knows your schedule, and can rely on you to post content at specific times.3. Create time for bloggingThe next step is to take a look at your daily and weekly schedule and create sufficient time for blogging. This is es pecially important for people who have other professional obligations and can’t spend too much time on this task. It’s also important to ensure you work on your content when you have energy and your mind isn’t burdened by fatigue. You’ll need more time to create content if you’re too tired or if your mind can’t be creative.Multitask where you can in order to fit in some of the less time-consuming aspects of blogging. For example, you can respond to comments or promote your posts while you’re having breakfast in the morning. If you don’t create time or schedule your blogging time well, you will end up with poor quality results. That will compromise your reputation.4. Keep Creating Content ideasThis is one of the most challenging aspects of blogging because it’s not easy to come up with unique and interesting ideas and topics consistently. Especially if you have a limited field in which you specialize.READHow Your Blog Can Benefit From The Growing Mobile Marketing Tr endSometimes ideas can come naturally and something can inspire you enough to come up with a unique concept. But this is unpredictable and it’s important to establish consistency when you run a blogging platform. Set aside some time to think of ideas and flesh them out even if you don’t have to write content on those ideas any time soon.For example, if you have enough content to post three times a week for the next 8 weeks, don’t fall back and stop thinking of ideas just because you have enough for two months. That will only cause problems down the time. This is one of the most time confusing aspects of blogging so it’s a good idea to create a record of all ideas and keep working on new ones for the future. This will save you a lot of time and make content creation faster.A good idea for this is an idea journal. Record every idea you have. Maybe it’s not suitable now, but the idea may bubble away in your subconscious, and if you return to it in a few weeks, it may now be a much better time for it, and you have fresh perspectives on it.5. Time for content creationOnce you have an idea and some notes on how to execute it, content creation is a little easier. However, it’s still important to focus and spend time on polishing it before you consider something fit for publication. Schedule this when you’re feeling creative and around the most productive time of the day.For example, if you work best at night when everything is quiet and calm, that’s the time to put aside for content creation. This should help you focus on your work and get things done quickly. Rushing through the content creation process will compromise the quality of results and it’s always better to publish nothing or recycle an old idea than to publish badly-researched and poor-quality content.6. Create a weekly blogging scheduleA weekly blogging schedule is customisable so you can adjust it according to your weekly requirements. For example, if you have an especially busy week i n the future, you can adjust the schedule for the current week so you can work to compensate and free up some time. A blogging schedule will also help you stay on track and you won’t miss creating content.It’s easier to lag behind on content creation if you don’t keep track of your schedule, especially if you’re doing different things at different times. If you intend to sketch blogging ideas out in the morning and pen them in the evening, schedule these activities in a planner so you can keep track of them.7. Keep SMART Goals in mindPromotion is an important aspect of blogging and will help you grow your audience. Set SMART goals for your content creation campaign and ensure your marketing and content creation strategy is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (SMART). These goals help ensure you create content which provides results and reaches your target audience instead of something that just takes up space on your website’s hosting server.By focus ing on these goals, you can maintain a good schedule and create content for your blog consistently.Ashley Andrews is an Inbound Marketing Strategist at Activia Training, a UK-based training provider specialising in improving delegates workplace performance in business skills, management development and IT applications. Ashley is passionate about sales and management issues, and regularly blogs about these and many other topics on the Activia blog.

William Shakespeares As You Like It As a Study of...

William Shakespeares As You Like It As a Study of Perception and Misperception The concepts of perception and misperception are common themes in many of Shakespeares plays and can be found in his comedies, tragedies and histories alike. Shakespeare explores these often-parallel elements through several different forms in his work, such as disguise, mistaken identity and blindness, and events caused by these can lead to amusing, confusing or sometimes tragic consequences, depending on the nature of the plays themselves. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines perception as the ability to see, hear or become aware of something through the senses, a way of regarding, understanding or†¦show more content†¦The forest of Arden is a particular example of how the perception of the same thing can vary greatly between different people in As You Like It and can change completely in the mind of one person. The forest is the place to which Rosalinds father, Duke Senior, is banished, and to which Rosalind and Celia flee following the wrath of Celias father, Duke Frederick. Indeed, it is the setting for much of the action in the play and comes to mean several things to several characters. The forest represents nature in the standard opposition between that and civilisation, which is represented by the other setting in the play, the court. Arden is perceived by characters such as Duke Senior and his followers as an idyllic and uncorrupted place, whereas the civilised world is seen as irrationally cruel and ruined by humankind. The Duke expresses this with his speech eulogising the forest, hath not old custom made this life more sweet than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods more free from peril than the envious court?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books

The Inclusion Of Education On Mental Illness - 1461 Words

Arguing For the Inclusion of Education on Mental Illness Mental illness affects millions of people around the world. What is surprising, however, is the lack of public information and education about mental illness. With the amount of undiagnosed mental illnesses and disorders as well as the number of suicide attempts that occur daily, it should become a priority for the education system to introduce public classes on mental illness for not just adults or teens but for younger children as well. Educating young people on identifying and understanding mental illness and how to go about sourcing help would curb the staggering statistics regarding suicide and other related problems. Statistics show that public education about mental illness increases the amount of people of who seek help with diagnoses and treatment. Fewer people suffer from untreated mental illness and the stigmas attached to them when the general public is educated about disorders, the symptoms, and the treatments and resources that are available. When more approximately 50% of the population has an untreated mental disorder, there is clearly a problem that needs to be addressed. According to the Mental Illness Policy Organization, approximately 1.3 million adults in the United States have untreated schizophrenia. Considering the severity of this disorder, this statistic is a recipe for disaster. The symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, abnormal motor behavior,Show MoreRelatedMental Health And Substance Use Disorder1340 Words   |  6 PagesSerious mental illness (SMI) impacts a person’s thinking, mood, capability to maintain relationships, and overall ability to maintain normal activities of daily living. Treatment is necessary for all individuals with a serious mental illness. 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This is an example of cooper ationRead More Social Work Essay1632 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will discuss social divisions; social exclusion and social inclusion, of which there are many definitions and interpretations. Social divisions and Social exclusion has been around for many years. Social exclusion was first noticed in France in 1970s in relation to people who fell outside the range of the social insurance system, such as disabled people, lone parents and the young unemployed (Townsend and Kennedy, 2004). Before 1997 Social exclusion was referred to as ‘poverty’, whichRead MoreThe Development Of The Welfare State And Social Policies1563 Words   |  7 Pagesof historical enquiry in Britain, studies have recognised significance of the past, physical impairment generated historical literature, mental impairment has none (Borsay, 2005). The last 100 years have been dominant constructions of education based on human life and evaluation, preparing the working class for employment. Within sociological terms the education system is the most important way in which society reproduces (Oliver Barton, 1997). The concept of educating disabled children in the UK

Misrepresentations of Statistics Revised n Flu Vaccine May...

In the article â€Å"Flu Vaccine May Lower Hearth Attack Risk, Researchers Find†, there was a substantial amount of misleading statistics that, in turn, made me doubt the conclusions configured. Just glancing at the title, an implied connection is made when the author includes the word â€Å"†¦may†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . There is no guarantee that getting the flu vaccine will lower one’s heart attack risk; the two variables are not necessarily connected. Later on in the article it reads, â€Å"The finding, published today in the journal Heart, suggests flu vaccination programs targeting the elderly should be extended to include younger adults, especially those with coronary artery disease.† The word, â€Å"†¦suggests†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is another example of an implied connection, which is a†¦show more content†¦In this same sentence, it informs readers that by taking the vaccine it lowers the probability of a heart attack by 45 percent. That tells me noth ing because it proves nothing. How exactly does getting the flu shot lower your chances of getting a heart attack? If there was actual data to look at, it would be much more believable. Later on in the article it mentions another study, â€Å"†¦research compared 275 hospitalized heart attack patients with 284 people who were treated in a hospital outpatient department from 2008 to 2010.† Again, there is no specificity as far as how these patients were selected for the study, making the article difficult to accept. Overall, I wouldn’t believe the statistics used in this article, nor the conclusions that the author made. It definitely sounds as though they are on the right track, but they really need more evidence supporting the idea that the flu vaccine can treat other conditions. I really think it would beneficial for the article to include numerical data, and at least some sort of statistical test was conducted. Throughout the whole article the researchers go on and on about how great this flu vaccine is but they have no credible evidence that it is effective on people with heart conditions. Although there were no graphs in this article, when including graphs it is crucial that one doesn’tShow MoreRelatedLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pages and the relevant page numbers (but not in any way that suggests that the book Logical Reasoning or its author endorse you or your use of the work). (2) Noncommercial You may not use this work for commercial purposes (for example, by inserting passages into a book that is sold to students). (3) No Derivative Works You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work. An earlier version of the book was published by Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, California USA in 1993 with ISBN numberRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesManager: Kelly Warsak Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Operations Specialist: Ilene Kahn Senior Art Director: Janet Slowik Interior Design: Suzanne Duda and Michael Fruhbeis Permissions Project Manager: Shannon Barbe Manager, Cover Visual Research Permissions: Karen Sanatar Manager Central Design: Jayne Conte Cover Art: Getty Images, Inc. Cover Design: Suzanne Duda Lead Media Project Manager: Denise Vaughn Full-Service Project Management: Sharon Anderson/BookMasters, Inc. Composition: Integra

Delivering a Persuasive Speech free essay sample

The purpose of this lesson is to improve students oral persuasion quenches by understanding I Writing the Persuasive I I I the appropriate speaking skills. The lesson is presented in second person, making it more meaningful as a I Curiousness Castle the students, and easier for the teacher to use as a handout. I I resource for Classroom I I Objectives: Students will be able to: I II) Demonstrate the appropriate classroom public speaking and listening skills (e. G. Body language, I [pick] I I articulation, listening to be able to identify specific examples of the speakers coordination of talking I [pick] I land action) that would be necessary to influence or change someones mind or way of thinking about I I topic. 1 12) Define the elements of persuasion. 1 13) Recognize the elements of personal credibility. 4) Develop methods to analyze other students speeches. 1 15) Understand outlining main ideas. 1 16) Create a persuasive speech. I I Resources/Materials: Teacher-prepared topics for persuasive speeches.I I Assessments: The Class will assess each speakers performance in terms of voice and body coordination, I I land in terms of persuasiveness. Each class can develop performance assessments such as rubrics to alleviate this process. I I Teachers Anticipatory Set: I I During class discussion, define and explain owe people make decisions based on what they see and hear. I Explain that sometimes we have to use skills to convince others about our positions. Have the students I recall and list their own experiences trying to convince their friends about something, and then ask them I class.I Tit share these with the I Activities and Procedures: Delivering a Persuasive Speech I I The Procedure I I Pick a proposition that not everyone would agree with such as: nuclear power plants are superior energy I Sources. Write a 6 to 8 minute speech in outline form to persuade the group. I I The Lesson: Your Voice and Body are Your Best Tools You are a natural persuader! You have done it all your life. Every time you enter a conversation, you I I I engage in elementary persuasion techniques. It is true, that any time you make a statement of fact, you I I large asserting its validity and assuming that your listener agrees.I I This speech goes further than a normal conversational assertion: now you have to assume that not everyone I I I will agree with you from the start, and it is your Job to make them see things your way. The goal of this I leech is to change someones mind or way of thinking about a topic. This is not a speech to sell, as you I I Did not ask that the listener do anything except to agree with you or to begin to listen to your way of I I thinking. Your message is, of course, very important in this speech, but your voice and body language are I I eleven more important. Here you will see how your delivery can help. Overall important aspects of presentation to keep in mind: I I There are I II) Body language make sure that you have a proper posture. If your shoulders are sagging and your legs I are crossed, you will not appear as being sincere and people Just will not accept your sage. 1 12) Articulation articulation means how your total vocal process works. There are several steps to this I I lintier process. First, you need air from the lungs, your vocal cords in your larynx must be working, your I mouth and tongue must be in sync, and you have to make sure that you have got some saliva in your mouth to I I keep things oiled.You should be aware of your physical makeup to be able to understand how you speak. 1 13) Pronunciation pronounce each word. Avoid slang, except to make a point, and do not slur your words. I I I Avoid saying, you know. 14) Pitch pitch refers to the highs and lows of your voice. Whatever you do, avoid a monotone! 1 15) Speed your speed, or pace, is an important variable to control. Between 140-160 words per minute is I I the normal pace for a persuasive speech. Any faster and you may appear to be glib; any slower and you I Sound like you are lecturing.If you are not sure about your speed, tape yourself for one minute and then I I replay it and count the number of words you used in the minute! The human ear and brain can compile and I I Decode over 400 spoken words per minute, so if you are going too slow your sterner minds are going to I as the brains finds other ways to keep themselves occupied. I Start to wander 1 16) Pauses the pause, or caesura, is a critical persuasive tool. When you want to emphasize a certain I word, Just pause for one second before; this highlights the word.If you really want to punch it, pause I I I before and after the word! 1 17) Volume volume is another good tool for persuasive speech, but you should use it with caution. If you I Scream all the way through your speech, people will become accustomed to it and it will lose its I I effectiveness. On the there hand, a few well-timed shouts can liven up the old speech! Try to project I I lord throw your voice out over the entire group speak to the last 1 18) Quality quality of voice is gauged by the overall impact that your voice has on your listeners.I I I Quality of voice is the net caliber of your voice, its character and attributes. Try to keep your vocal I quality high; it is what separates your voice from everyone elses. 1 19) Variance variance of vocal elements is your most important consideration of all! One of the most I I I persuasive speakers in modern history was Winston Churchill. One of his most remarkable qualities was his I I liability to vary the elements of his voice. He would start with a slow, laconic voice and then switch gears I I Iota more rapid pace. People were light-headed after listening to him! Even if you have no desire to run I I I for political office, you can still use the tools of variance. Change your pitch, volume, and speed at least once every 30 seconds, if only for Just one word. Never go more than one paragraph without a vocal I I Variance. This keeps your group locked into your speech, if for no other reason than it sounds I interesting! Let the words speak for themselves; reflect their nature through your voice. If you use the I I Reword strangle, say it with a hint of menace in your voice.If you say the word heave, let the group I I feel the onomatopoeic force behind it. If you say the word bulldozer, make it sound like a titan shovel. The Strategy: Appear Rational I I earthmover, not like a baby with a I I When you are trying to convince someone of something, you must first establish your credibility, or in I other words, you must sell yourself before you sell your message. If people feel that you are not being I I reasonable or rational, you do not stand a chance. You must be committed to the ideals and goals of your I leech and what you are saying.Do not use words such as maybe or might- use positive words such as I I lwill and must. I I You are the authority figure in this speech, so you had better supply enough information to prove your I points so that you can seem knowledgeable, and you had better know your material cold. People can usually I I spot someone who is trying to wing a speech. You should also appear to be truthful -even when you are I I really stretching a point. If you do not appear to be earnest, even if your message is the 100% truth, I I I people will doubt your word and tune out your speech.I I Lastly, do not be afraid to show a little emotion this is not a sterile or static speech. Your body and I I Voice must match the tone of your words. If your language is strong, you must present a physical force to I delivery. I I The Comments and Goals I I Self-control? I Gig along with your I I You cannot sit back and let your words do all of the talking. You must use your total self to deliver your I I I message, and this means that you will have to expose a little of your personality o the group. Your group I I I will be supportive. I I The Group Reaction I I The group has two major criteria to consider after each members speech. First, the delivery. Were the I leasers body, words, and actions in synchronization and harmony? Did one support the other or was there I I tension between the body and the voice? Secondly, were you persuaded? Why or why not? Discuss what makes I and how the intangibles effect a positive outcome. I I More Information? I la persuasive speech work I I For more information and help with public speaking, contact: http://capital. Net/-?BPCS/

Ethical Decision Making Models in Guerrilla Government

This paper gives an account of various ethical issues that are affecting decision-making models by taking the case of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Seattle Regional Office. Ethical challenges emerge when workers face certain dilemmas when determining the proper action to pursue at an individual or organizational level.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Decision Making Models in Guerrilla Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this case, when EPA’s staff members faced ethical dilemmas due to the witnessed compelling forces towards workers’ choice of action, most of them stood firm to support decisions of moral principles. The pressure by the public administrator compelled the staff to adopt guerrilla tactics to ensure responsibility, credibility, and justice. In the EPA’s Seattle Regional Office, the major ethical issue was justice. For instance, during the t enure of John Spencer as the Regional Offices administrator, Spencer did not consider the staff members’ decision. Therefore, he was inviting conflicts in the decision-making process (O’Leary, 2014). Questioning Spencer’s actions openly amounted to downgrading or relocation. This pressure became intense. As a result, EPA’s staff members sought to respond by engaging in guerrilla welfare. EPA’s case shows that guerrilla governments arise majorly due to the inevitable tensions between bureaucracy and justice, which if not controlled, result in immense ethical dilemmas that public administrators should learn to avoid. In most cases, guerrilla governments are undetected since they are intertwined with the fabric of daily undertakings. It can prove difficult for such bureaucracies to engage in constructive measures to navigate from this problem (U.S. Office of Government Ethics, 2000). Social injustice is highly manifested in Spencer’s administra tion. He influenced the authorities to show loyalty and/or take responsibilities of his decisions while covering his faults by ensuring that those who acted against him faced the consequences. Political appointees were made to work against their moral principles while at the same time adhering to their superiors’ instructions. Since they lacked relevant decision-making skills, they ended up being susceptible to making dumb decisions that risked their careers (U.S. Office of Government Ethics, 2000). The pressure to conform to EPA’s bureaucracies, despite the inevitable manifestation of injustice and lack of credibility, forced the career employees to retaliate by applying guerilla tactics. The urge to inform the press about the dire need for integrity and accountability was rising. Staff members were ready for more intense wrangles and organized informal meetings.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% O FF Learn More This move could give them a well-articulated direction to confront the regional administrator through well-braced guerilla welfare decisively. According to O’Leary (2014), EPA’s staff members believed that they were being used to serve the regional administrator and the political appointees rather than the public. However, initiating guerilla activities could help in resisting what was perceived to be improper activities. Hence, through staff solidarity, EPA’s staff members could serve the public interest rather than an individual. Guerilla welfare resulted in favorable changes. For instance, Spencer faced several corruption allegations that were backed by the staff members, although he profoundly declined the allegations. However, he resigned as the regional administrator. Staff members who supported guerilla activities were not ready to take any more responsibilities of faults that were committed by the political appointees. They decided to watch the political appointees as they (the appointees) made lousy decisions that could lead to the questioning of their credibility and appointment. The failure by the regional staff to cooperate with the regional administrator demonstrated the will by the staff team to stage a more intense guerilla government. The EPA administration had embezzled funds, killed morale at the organization, and used political loyalty to appoint, promote, or fire staff members regarding their political affiliations. This situation compromised the quality of service delivery to the public while at the same time denying workers their democratic rights to make decisions. In addition, the Civil Service Act was highly violated by the bureaucracies when they ignored the merit system for political patronage and loyalty.  In an effort to curb guerilla governments, EPA leaders should be inclusive in decision-making processes. During her reign as EPA’s administrator, Ernesta Barnes emphasized her c ommitment to working with everyone to embrace growth (O’Leary, 2014). Barnes was keen to act within the law. She worked closely with EPA’s staff members as a way of embracing the plan of consulting and correcting problems. This move enhanced morale while at the same time, reigniting self-esteem among the staff members. Barnes enforced tough policies against pollutants. Besides, she ensured the upgrade of sewage treatment without allowing waivers of pollution laws. Unlike Spencer, Barnes ensured equity and justice for all. By dealing with the tolerant and the emerging social injustices, administrators can harness their efforts to make the desired changes to alleviate the possibilities of guerilla governments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Decision Making Models in Guerrilla Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Guerilla governments address mismanagement, social injustices, and public interest (U.S. Office of Government Ethics, 2000). For a decent advocate and a successful public administrator, working closely with the staff members through consultation is necessary. Stubborn and conservative bureaucracies that ignore political neutrality encounter the challenge of managing guerilla employees. Since most government organizations lack the structures to handle the pressure from guerilla activities, it becomes inevitable for these organizations to develop an environment that incorporates and supports dialogue or debate during decision-making processes. Reference List O’Leary, R. (2014). The Ethics of Dissent: Managing Guerilla Government. Washington, DC: CQ Press. U.S. Office of Government Ethics. (2000). A brief wrap on government ethics. Web. This essay on Ethical Decision Making Models in Guerrilla Government was written and submitted by user Johanna J. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Herbert Lehman Post-Racial Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Herbert Lehman Post-Racial Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Half a century ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dared to imagine what few others of his time would venture to consider; he dreamt of a society in which one is judged not by the color of ones skin, but by the content of his or her character. Has Kings dream manifested itself as reality? Because President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, can a man of color walk anywhere in this, the United States of Americathe greatest nation on Earthwithout the slightest consideration as to the pigment of his skin? Contrary to popular belief, ones race was and still is a significant part of ones lived experience, despite the election of Barack Obama. Analysis of elements of popular culture and societys perspective substantiates this claim. Forty-three men served as president of the United States of America prior to the election of Barack Obama in 2008. Of those forty-three men, how many are addressed as the first of their race (Irish, German, English, etc.) to win the presidency? Yet, when society names the 44th president of the United States of America, perspectives change and the topic of race takes precedence. President Barack Obama is not merely another serving his country in the office of president; rather, he is a black man before the word president is even mention. While the fact that he is an African-American is significant, it should not characterize him more as president than it does as a person. Evidently, society still sees the color of the presidents skin, before noticing his title, his achievements, and even his failures. Elements of popular culture share a similar myopic view. Music, being one the most defining aspects of a culture, contributes significantly to the development of a society, in which race is almost always a factor. Ironically enough, African-American artists can be blamed for the attention given to differences in race and even racist mentalities. For example, Hip-Hop artist, Young Jeezy in his song titled My President, tells about the triumph African-Americans have made with the election of President Barack Obama in 2008. The first line of the song: My president is black. What is that to say to the millions and millions of African-Americans that seek refuge in the words of Jeezys music? The song did not focus on the fact that Americans elected a competent man, but rather, a black man. Such music, so vast a fan base fed with little more than transient triumph on a racial level, discourages the growth and maturation of society; rather it encourages the ignorant and stereotypical views t hat have come to characterize a race. With the election of President Barack Obama in 2008, headlines and talk shows were fraught with the excitement of an African-American being elected president of the United States. Yet, the headlines about a Harvard graduate and Civil Rights activist garnered significantly less emphasis. In addition, artists and musicians sought to proclaim the triumph of African-Americans as a people, and not America as a nation with Obamas election. Evidently, the road to a race-blind society is a long one, littered with cultural distractions and unyielding racial perspectives.

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Macroeconomics - Essay Example And this is manifested in the steepness of the curves. As shown above at current utility U1, consumer A3 appears to be more aggressive and impatient compared to consumer A1. That is A3 is consuming 60,000 units now compared to A1 at about 36,000 units with the prevailing interest rates. If everybody moves in the direction of the arrow, which is more time and consumption in the future, then the same scenario is replicated with a marginal change of current consumption. (Balvers, Cosimano & McDonald, 1109-1128) Interest rate can also determine the opportunities of investment. Investment has the purpose of creating future wealth for utilization at that time. Thus considering that one can invest by either a past saving or current borrowing, a saving is composed of one net income less what is consumed. Also in order for one to be able to be wealthy in the future, from a borrowed capital point of view, they will need to have paid the tax on the borrowing with the accrued interest. There after the value of the wealth will ALSO be on the market price plus the principal sum that has been paid back. Consider the diagram below. (Balvers, Cosimano & McDonald, 1109-1128) When we have lower interest rate savings, we are likely to accumulate more wealth for future consumption or for further investment from the decent returns. The concave curve moves outward as shown above. However when we have a higher rate of interest borrowing there will be a lower rate of wealth created for future consumption. The concave curve moves inwards to the left. The two diagrams are now superimposed as shown below. (Balvers, Cosimano & McDonald, 1109-1128) The next point is to establish the optimal point at which interest rates determine the consumption and the investment simultaneously. The aim is to achieve increased wealth utility (consumptions) with

Services marketing and relationship marketing Essay

Services marketing and relationship marketing - Essay Example The process of addressing customer concerns on every call is considered the front-stage activity. Every customer interaction is a â€Å"moment of truth.† (Teboul, 2007, p.19) The back-stage is where the company works on how to provide the services promised on the front-stage interactions. Both the front-stage and back-stage components are essential in providing services to the customers (Blumberg, 2003, p.23). Every successful service provision is composed of interaction and material transformation (Cook, 2011, 34). Both are significant, but very distinct (See Figure 1). Knowledge of the distinction is necessary because overseeing a direct interaction with customer in the front-stage is very different from managing the material transformation in the back-stage. The end result of successful front-stage and back-stage operations is customer satisfaction (Blumberg, 2003, p.27 and Cook, 2011, 35). Figure 1 Front-Stage and Back-Stage Distinction SERVICES AND RELATIONSHIP MARKETING 3 It is noticeable that the arrows in the flow chart go both ways. This is because every aspect of service delivery consists both of the front-stage and back-stage processes, and although not interchangeably, very much connected to each other (Glushko & Tabas, 2009, p.407). Gathering of Services Request Information – This involves a direct customer interaction of the company representative, either through phone, mails, or face-to-face communication (Vargo & Lusch, 2004, p.68). A fitting scenario could be, a customer calls in and talks to the service representative. The customer inquires about services provided by the company, and decides whether the services suit his/her needs and budget. The representative provides information that is based on the set procedures by the company. These procedures are also based on the ability of the company to process the promised services. This is the reason why the arrows here go in both directions (Glushko & Tabas, 2009, p.4011). Processing of Promised Services – This is where the processing of requested services takes place. Representatives from the operations department, where the actual customer interaction takes place, pass the requests to a certain department where the planning for material transformation of the promised service occurs. Activities may range from paper works to on-field delivery or services. No services will be processed in the back-stage without requests from the front-stage (Wa?gar, 2007, p.641), which is another reason why the arrows here go in both directions. Information-intensive interaction – This involves the actual interaction again with customers. When a customer calls in and contacts the customer service department (front-stage), they usually ask for information on possible services they could obtain. The representative’s responsibility is to provide adequate information and choices to the customer. They should sound knowledgeable and expert in the service informati on they offer (Glushko & Tabas, 2009, p.416-7). Confidence building in customers usually start at this stage (Vargo & Lusch, 2004, p.68). The decision on whether the customer will acquire the services offered by the company usually depends on how well the interaction took place. It is the duty of these

Music-Induced Affect as Treatment of Elderly Depression Essay Example for Free

Music-Induced Affect as Treatment of Elderly Depression Essay Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression in elderly patients is one of the most prevalent psychological problems today. However, research and knowledge regarding this subject is limited and those involved in the application of this knowledge to help elderly individuals experiencing depression are lacking in efficient strategies and training. This paper aims to explore the efficacy of inducing positive affect through music as a strategy in treating depression in elderly individuals. The paper focuses on the effectiveness of music alone as tool in treating depression based on its capability to induce positive affect. It is hypothesized that positive affect continuously induced via music within a set time-period will lessen signs of depression. Introduction Depression has recently been recognized as one of main psychological problems facing society today. Literature shows that treatment of depression needs to be specialized in terms of the population it addresses. Certain groups, such as adolescents, respond to certain treatments differently when compared to another group, such as the elderly. (Aryan Alvidres, 2001; Von Kroff et al, 2001) Depression among the elderly has specifically been found to be rampant and mostly unchecked mainly due to the fact that it was regarded earlier on as a normal step in an individual’s aging. (Casey, 1994) The need for further research on the subject is stressed by the fact that treatments and solutions for depression among elderly individuals are studied only in areas wherein a majority of the population is in the late stages of life. (Bramesfeld, 2003) Also, research has shown that general practitioners involved in treating depression in the elderly need to have more training and information on how best to handle depression in older patients. (Rothera et al, 2002) Diagnosis of depression is also a problem with 70-90% of depressed elderly patients going undiagnosed. (Koenig, 1999) A new strategy being researched for its effectiveness in treating depression employs the use of music techniques. Hendricks et al (1999) showed the potency of music in treating adolescent depression mainly because of its ability to inspire a change in the individual’s emotions. Hanser Thomson (1994) and Hanser (1990) studies have also shown promise in the use of music techniques to treat depression in older individuals. This paper aims to validate these previous studies but will focus only on the musical aspect of the treatment. Previous research included exercise, muscle relaxation techniques, and recall of experiences which could have confounded the results of the previous studies attesting to the effectiveness of music techniques. Research Question   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The goal of this paper is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between music-induced affect and depression. Can positive affect induced by music reduce depression? It is hypothesized that positive music-induced affect has a significant negative relationship with depression. Methods   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The design of the study is experimental and random. Specifically, it makes use of a 22 between-subjects factorial design. One variable will be the music-induced affect which will have two levels in the experiment, presence and absence of music-induced affect. Negative music-induced affect will not be used for ethical reasons. The other variable will be the test scores of the participants assessing the intensity of their depression. This will have two levels, test scores prior to the application of the music technique and test scores acquired after application. The two variables contribute tot eh 22 factorial design. (Mann, 1949) Setting   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study will be conducted in a laboratory setting within primary care facilities from which the participants will be gathered. Performing the experiment in a primary care facility will be more convenient especially because the participants involved are elderly individuals. The laboratory setting will control for confounding variables that could be present in a real environment. Population   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The research sample will be composed of individuals from age 65 onwards coming from primary care facilities and who have been diagnosed with depression (ranging from mild to severe). This is to avoid ethical and scientific concerns regarding clinically-induced depression. Data Collection The independent variable is the positive music-induced affect will be measured with the State Form of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List-Revised (MAACL-R). (Zuckerman Lubin, 1985) The depression level, the dependent variable, of the participants will be measured with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). (Beck et al, 1961) Participants will be randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group will be administered with music sessions aimed at inducing positive affect. The music will be pre-tested on a different set of participants also with depression to check its validity in inducing positive affect. The control group will not be administered with music sessions and will only be administered the Beck Depression Inventory at the start and at the end of the experimentation period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The experimental group will be administered the selected music once daily for a duration of four weeks. During the sessions, participants of the experimental set-up will be asked to clear their minds and to concentrate only on the music being played. The State Form of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List-Revised will be administered before and after each session to ensure that positive affect was induced. The Beck Depression Inventory will also be administered to this group at the start and end of the four-week experimentation period to document depression levels. Data Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Collected data will be analyzed statistically with the use of a one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). The computed marginal means in the ANOVA will be the determining statistical value indicating the effect of positive music-induced affect on depression scores with the Beck Depression Inventory. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Music as a technique employed in treating depression will provide healthcare workers and low-income families with a relatively cost-free strategy of helping elderly individuals experiencing depression. This is also a technique that doesn’t require much training or medical expertise in its administration. All one would need in order to be able to administer this technique is knowledge as to which music selections are prescribed and certified to induce positive affect. This technique, because of its simplicity and speed of application, could also be used as a supplementary strategy to medication, counseling and psychotherapies being employed to treat depression in elderly patients.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The research, however, has many limitations. The range of elderly individuals that will be available for experimentation will only be confined to a specific locality. Time constraints will also be an issue. Further study should be conducted on a larger sample size and over a longer experimentation period. Different music styles and variations can also be checked to ascertain maximum effectiveness of the treatment. Gender could also be checked as a factor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression is indeed a psychological problem that afflicts today’s elderly individuals. Research regarding effective techniques has to be continued and expanded in order for healthcare workers to be able to best address this growing problem. References Arean, P., Alvidrez, J. (2001). Treating Depressive Disorders Who Responds, Who Does Not Respond, and Who Do We Need to Study? Journal of Family Practices, 50(6), 529 Beck, A., Ward, C., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for measuring depression, Archives of General Psychiatry, 4, 561-571. Bramesfeld, A. (2003). Service provision for elderly depressed persons and political and professional awareness for this subject: a comparison of six European countries. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18, 392-401 Casey, D. (1994). Depression in the elderly. Southern Medical Journal, 87(5), 559-563 Hanser, S. B. (1990). A music therapy strategy for depressed older adults in the community. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 9, 283-298. Hanser, S. B., Thompson, L. W. (1994). Effects of music therapy strategy on depressed older adults. Journal of Gerontology, 49, 265-269. Hendricks, C., Robinson, B., Bradley, L., Davis, K. (1999). Using music techniques to treat adolescent depression. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education Development, 38(1), 39-46 Koenig, H. (1999). Late-life depression: How to treat patients with comorbid chronic illness.Geriatrics, 54(5), 56-61 Mann, H.B. (1949). Analysis and design of experiments; analysis of variance and analysis of variance designs. New York, Dover Publications. Rothera, I., Jones, R., Gordon, C. (2002). An examination of the attitudes and practice of general practitioners in the diagnosis and treatment of depression in older people. International Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17, 354-358 Von Kroff, M., Katon, W., Wells, K., Wagner, E. (2001). Improving Depression Care Barriers, Solutions, and Research Needs. Journal of Family Practice, 50(6), 529-561 Zuckerman M, Lubin B. (1985) Manual for the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List-Revised. San Diego: Educational and Industrial Testing

The Joy of Corporate Profits :: Corporate Profits Pay For Universities

Whether it's Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan leading the Million-Man March, anti-WTO protesters or AIDS activists, we're frequently treated to the chant demanding "People Before Profits." Since profit demagoguery is a deceptively appealing tool used by scoundrels everywhere, let's de-mystify the concept of profits. Let's first get its definition out of the way. Profits represent the residual claim earned by entrepreneurs. It's what's left after all other costs - wages, rent, interest - have been paid. The entrepreneur is generally seen as the person who takes risks, innovates and makes decisions. It's important to recognize that profits are a cost of business just as are payments to labor, land and capital. If wages, rent and interest are not paid, labor, land and capital will not be offered; similarly, if profit is not paid, entrepreneurs wouldn't be seen either. Roughly six cents of each dollar companies take in represent after-tax profits. By far, wages are the largest part of that dollar representing about 60 cents. As percentages of 2002 national income, after-tax profits represented about 5 percent and wages about 71 percent. Far more important than simple statistics about the magnitude of profits is the role played by profits, namely that of guiding resources to their highest valued uses, determined not by some tyrant but by ordinary people's wants and desires. Let's discuss just a few examples. When Coca Cola introduced the "new" Coke? Pepsi Cola president Roger Enrico called it "the Edsel of the 80's," representing one of the greatest marketing debacles of the 1980's. Who made Coca Cola Company bring back the old Coke? Was it congress, the courts, the president, or other government officials who claim to have our interests at heart? No way. It was the specter of negative profits (losses) that convinced Coca Cola to bring back the old Coke. Thus, one role of profits is to discover what consumers want and if producers make mistakes, correct them. After the 1992 massive destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew, South Florida stores sold sheets of plywood for twice the price it had sold for prior to the storm. Escalating plywood prices brought charges of price-gouging and prosecutory threats. But look what higher prices and the potential for windfall profits did. Plywood destined to be shipped to the Midwest, West and Northeast suddenly was rerouted to South Florida. Lumber mills increased production. Truckers and other workers worked overtime so as to increase the availability of plywood and other construction materials to Floridians.

Compare the Ways in which John Steinbeck and Thomas Hardy Explore the Theme of Loneliness Essay

The two books have one clear element in common. The two authors, Steinbeck and Hardy, give us a great outlook on loneliness in its many forms. They communicate their ideas and thoughts to us in a very similar manner, despite being from very different times and walks of life. Of Mice and Men, is set and was written during the Great Depression of the United States of America in the early 1930’s, in the Salinas Valley of California, tells us the story of George Milton and Lennie Small. The two migrant workers, bound together by an unusual and sure friendship, are in pursuit together of the â€Å"Great† American Dream – their dream. They will have their own land, be their own masters and no longer have to answer to anyone, and finally live in peace. On the other hand we have The Withered Arm, set in the early 19th Century as one of Hardy’s Wessex Tales, where he lived all his life. Hardy tells us the tale of a young woman, Gertrude Lodge, as she begins her new life. However, things are not what they should have been as Gertrude is afflicted with an unknown blight, her happiness both threatened and later destroyed. She is not completely alone – her plight is intertwined with that of Rhoda Brook, who carries a great pain in her heart and a great power, or perhaps a curse, that not even she realises. The two texts are each set in the same rural environment as that of their authors, both bringing us the tale of so many people struggling through their lives as best they can. In Of Mice and Men we see that every man, and woman, has their own dreams, their own obsessions to pine away for, to imagine and envisage when they are so often so lonely – each has their own thoughts, their method, of escapism from the reality they live in. The Withered Arm, again, in a different manner shows characters angry, obsessed, with lives they could have had and the possibilities that they have lost or had taken away from them. Each are victims of circumstance, each yearn for lives that are no longer theirs, each for a chance now gone. In each difficulty we can see a parallel, and in both books we can see characters sharing the same basic challenges to overcome, and obstacles in their path. Both show us some of the many facets and characteristics of loneliness and trouble in this world – no matter how little they look for difficulty and dilemmas, people will always manage to find them, no matter how hard they strive against it. â€Å"The best laid schemes o’ mice and men Gang aft agley [Often go wrong] And leave us nought but pain For promised joy† Robert Burns As Of Mice and Men begins, we are shown the two migrant farm workers, George and Lennie, on their way to a new job, a new start, â€Å"bucking† barley at a Californian ranch; fleeing much undue upset in their last town, mostly thanks, despite his original intentions, to Lennie. It is late evening and they both spend the night by the Salinas River before continuing on to their new place of work the next morning. It is here that we first discover some of the main personality differences, and conflicts, between the two characters, and learn of their aspirations and their future. We immediately see much of their natures and that of their friendship as Lennie â€Å"flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool†¦snorting into the water like a horse.† Lennie dives headlong, dunking his head into the murky waters of the Salinas like an animal, all for a drink of water; George restrains him, attempting to keep him in line and to keep him safe. George and Lennie have struggled their way through life together, as an inseparable pair, not like all the other hopefuls out there, â€Å"Because I got you an’ you got me† – together they might just get somewhere. The way this particular phrase is repeated so much tells us a lot about their friendship and how they both so desperately need it to survive. â€Å"The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features†¦every part of him was defined.† We see George as the sharp and able leader who gives Lennie his direction, blunt and bitter when it comes to his frustrations. All too often feeling taunted by the world, his life, and the problems they each throw at him – no matter how hard he tries and how much he accounts for it. Despite his quick temper and scathing reprisals, he holds a great care and affection for his travel-partner and the companionship he brings him – much more than is at first apparent. George feels responsible for Lennie, he has been Lennie’s guardian ever since the passing-away of his Aunt Clara, and no matter how hard he tries he always, and always will, feel that Lennie’s troubles, Lennie’s mistakes and faults are his own and that which he must resolve and reconcile – however much they may cause him yet more problems of his own. George feels a great loneliness inside, believing in his heart himself to be as worthless as every other like him, and as a result of this he gains his purpose – to become somebody, and he knows that is something he and Lennie must do and can only do together. Without Lennie he would be nothing, no more than every other man like him – alone and without hope. â€Å"Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders†¦he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws†¦his arms did not swing but hung loosely at his sides.† Lennie, we can already see if very different to George, a slow simpleton, likened to an animal on two counts now, expressing his simple personality and impulsive nature. It is thanks to the pair’s great bond and need that we see Lennie as such a vital character in the book, for George is not the only man to whom Lennie brings a purpose, it is around him that so much of the story unfolds and revolves about. Despite the simplicity in his manner and unsure path throughout the story, Lennie brings certainty to all those around him. They are drawn to the raw and basic companionship that his presence brings – he is both consort and confidant for all their thoughts and feelings. He neither understands nor takes in much of what they say but, rather than wasting their breath, it seems even more a boon unto them. Lennie is like a wandering sheep and it is George that gives him his direction and his purpose, and as he takes his lead from George, Lennie in turn gains his own shape and dream. Lennie’s simple, cumbersome shape walks always in George’s shadow, always behind him wherever he may go, no matter what. For Lennie life is as simple as he is – it is that which seems to create so many problems for them both, in turn presenting the answers to so many others, and it is this which gives Lennie such a lasting effect on all those around him. The two are together in the pursuit of their own dreams, each finding both a purpose and the means in the other. George dreams of his own land, his own life, and it is much the same for Lennie, on his own basic level. Lennie wishes to care for his own creatures, his rabbits. He loves to hear every word of them that he can get, and George loves to tell them to him – so obsessed and incensed are they with merely the thought of what lies ahead for them with the success of their great plan. This form of â€Å"dreaming† and hoping that many of the characters of this story holds shows how everyone of them wishes to escape from the present world that they live in, where society demands everything of them when they have nothing to hold as their own, and nothing to give. Together these two continue their journey, their unique bond always apparent as they cross upon the lives of many others, all showing the properties of loneliness and all for different reasons, giving us an outlook on how so many in this world are alone and isolated, and how what George and Lennie have is so valuable. â€Å"Ain’t many guys travel together†¦maybe everyone in the whole damn world is scared of each other.† The pressure of the â€Å"American Dream† and the demands of that society’s doctrines and social structure to achieve are imposed upon everyone and anyone and this is why it becomes such a great feature and driving force behind so much of the loneliness of this book. Every common man goes to America to succeed and achieve something, but society inflicts quite the opposite upon them – projecting, forcing upon them, an image of how people should think and most certainly be resulting in loneliness and isolation, a dissatisfaction of themselves and those around them and the ongoing fear of amounting to absolutely nothing. It is ironic that this very society which sets out to have everyone achieve and succeed does quite the opposite, causing so many problems along the way. The nature of the â€Å"American Dream† that so many in this story hold in their minds is that very thing which isolates every one of them from each other, and dooms them to failure. Upon arriving at the ranch, they are met by an old man named Candy and his now old and scrawny dog. It is Candy who explains to them the ways of the ranch, first showing them around and then, as the story progresses, introducing the personalities of the other ranch hands to them. We learn much about Candy himself and who he is, seeing in the second chapter Candy caught listening in on George and Lennie’s words together, as George attempts to keep Lennie in check and keep him safe. Candy was listening simply to feel as a part of their conversation, to feel involved in something, for Candy craves conversation in any form, so alone does he feel. It can be seen that now for so much of his life Candy has been separated from the other men, isolated from all others. Since Candy lost his hand in an accident upon the farm he has been unable to work with the others, condemned to the menial tasks and solitary life during the day, and now thanks to his advancing years he is even more isolated. His only companion throughout all this time has been his pet dog, a source of consternation for the other men as it nears the end of its days, its presence being an eyesore to them all and odour a cause of much dismay. The animal had been his companion since its birth, and now old and suffering from rheumatism, the men convince Candy to allow them to put it out of its misery for him. As Candy grudgingly agrees, against a great sadness, he loses his oldest and closest friend, and again he feels truly alone. Having no one, he attaches himself to Lennie and George and to the dream they both share and makes himself a part of it, willing to offer all he has, his life’s work and savings, for it to be so. However, as that dream is again jeopardised, perhaps fatally, he still wishes to carry on and fulfil the dream – for it is all he has left. It this desperation of Candy’s to make his new dream, their dream, become so, that yet another man becomes tied up in the illusion and the hope that it brings. Crooks is a fellow worker upon the ranch, a stable buck, working to repair saddles, tools and to look after the horses, unable to do other work since he was crippled, kicked in the back by one of the horses he was working with. We have never heard much of Crooks, only chance phrases from the other men, snatches of comments in the middle of a conversation; he is not often talked about, and never talked to – Crooks is a Negro. We do not see him for the majority of the book for he is never with the other men, always separated from everyone, simply because of the discrimination, the ignorance and the prejudices of that time. As the only Negro in the area, he is completely alone, without anyone but himself for so much of his life, but it was not always so. Crooks used to have someone – he used to live with his family, they owned a farm, he was with his brothers, his parents – his family, and he was counted as someone; now he isn’t even counted. The â€Å"American Dream† tells us of equality, of everyone having a chance to attain their dreams, to have something to hold, be proud of and call their own – in America everyone and anyone can have just this and be somebody unless, of course, if they are black. â€Å"This is just a nigger talkin’†¦so it don’t mean nothing, see?† This contradiction and hypocrisy intermittent throughout the dream is that which causes Crooks to be just who he is – alone and isolated, helpless and unable to anything about it. When Lennie wanders into Crooks’ living area simply looking for company as the other men are all away in the town, Crooks shows outrage and indignation that a white man would presume it his right to simply walk into his room without leave. However, Lennie’s innocence wins through, despite Crooks’ irritation, â€Å"Crooks scowled, but Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him.† As Crooks begins to talk to Lennie, and discover the nature of his relationship with George, we see his jealousy that another man could have someone so easy to talk to, such a simple and easy friendship. Such is his bitterness and jealousy over the pair’s companionship that Crooks goes on to taunt and tease Lennie with the possibility that George is injured and is no longer going to be there. He tells Lennie that he too is alone and must look after himself and continue life knowing he had someone, had something, and lost it as Crooks did. Crooks wants Lennie to feel what his pain is every day, every hour, and make someone else feel how he does – and, in doing so, make himself feel less alone. â€Å"A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody†¦a guy gets lonely and he gets sick†. As Lennie’s anger flares up, we see that perhaps Crooks isn’t so malicious after all, for he placates Lennie – he wants him to stay, despite him being a white man, one who took his life away from him, an enemy. So alone is he that any company will do, black or white – it doesn’t matter any more; and so â€Å"It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger,† as Candy joins Lennie. He only has himself and what little company that he can find; he has been separated from others, alone for so long, simply because of the colour of his skin, so isolated thanks to an ignorant and naive prejudice, so much for a dream – when Crooks came to America he found an ongoing nightmare. There should be equality, and this is what America shouted aloud to the world – everyone in America has a dream to live out, and everyone who comes to America has a chance. However, this is not the case for Crooks – despite what people claimed, despite what the â€Å"American Dream† told them, he has nothing but material possessions, and to him they re nothing. Reading books is his only source of company, but â€Å"Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody – to be near him.† When Crooks first learns of their dream, not quite as they intended for it was their dream and nobody else’s’, he scoffs for has heard this kind of a story all before – he has seen hundreds of other hopefuls come through the ranch and continue on into nothing. He tells them this mockingly, and also to end their hopes for they too are going nowhere. However, as Candy justifies their hopes in defence, he subsides for he sees the possibilities himself, gets caught up in the trio’s aspirations and dreams, as Candy did, and pleads to be taken along, to join them – simply to be somewhere with others who might accept him for who he is and not for what. Crooks begins to open up, he finally believes himself to be an equal and to be counted, and he has been given back both his hope and a real chance. However, things are not to be as they hoped as the wife of Curley, the boss’ son, enters. As always the men are wary and bid her leave and in response her bitter temper rises. Crooks stands up to her, thinking outside his place in his newfound happiness, and she drills into him, makes him again realise just who he is, how little all he says and thinks is valued and how much power she holds over him. For a moment Crooks had become a man again and believed in his own freedom, but Curley’s wife put an end to that, to his open thought and his belief in all his hopes of being his own man again. â€Å"Crooks stared hopelessly at her, sat down†¦and drew into himself†¦Crooks had reduced himself to nothing, no personality, no ego†¦Everything that might be hurt drawn in†¦into the indomitable pride of the Negro.† Crooks the Negro presumed to think himself on the same level as Curley’s wife, to cap all the isolation and rejection from every other person on the ranch. So enraged is she that we see the malicious and bitter side of her nature born out of the oppression, the distress and torment of countless similar situations where no one ever listens, where she is always alone. She gives him no quarter as her scathing, bitter anger lashes into him. This conflict amongst and between the oppressed and repressed – first between Candy and Crooks, Crooks believing their dream to be as hopeless as all the rest, so demoralised has he become thanks to the life that American society has put him through, and then between Crooks and Curley’s wife, simply leads them in a circle, and right back to square one. Both are without freedom and hold little control over their own rights, and still they are brought into conflict by the ways in which society portrays the world and treats each of them, one putting the other’s hopes and liberty again into doubt, painting a wholly despondent and bleak future -all the more separated from each other, all the more isolated and alone. Curley’s wife always appears as a woman up to no good, spoken of hurriedly in whispered conversations. She is always out looking for trouble with the other men, always holding apparent bad intentions as she flaunts herself in a vain attempt to attract them to her, willing to do anything for companionship, and as a result getting quite the opposite. George had always recognised her danger, but Lennie is blind to every bit of it. However, we begin to see that she isn’t up to such wickedness as we are first led to believe, and her bitter tongue is simply born of a life of loneliness. The men always shy away from her fearing blackmail from a work mate or Curley’s wrath if they were to dare the stigma and go against the rules of society, and become friendly with another man’s wife. This fear of the bosses’ authority and their abuse of it is yet another barrier that stands between ever establishing some true ideals of equality. She has been alone and isolated by everyone for so long, not even her husband listens to her, simply telling her what he wants to say and never waiting for a response. Lennie, never vigilant nor wary for he has no reason to be, is the first person that hasn’t looked at her with fear in his eyes, for he is different; she has tried everything and seems doomed to failure – everyone is repulsed, everyone resists her, everyone bar Lennie, and she latches onto him because of this. One day she catches him on his own and without George always looking over his shoulder. He is like an open book to her, and instantly accepts her for exactly what she is. She delights in finally finding someone who is such a perfect companion, who no longer draws back away from her in fear, but talks to her as he would anyone else. Despite what is first apparent, she simply wants to be with someone who listens. We learn that she once had a life, once had a chance and could have been somebody, been somewhere and just perhaps have got somewhere in life, but had it taken away from her through no fault of her own, but the unjust and unreasonable actions of another – her own mother. To escape that, to escape a dead end and lonely life where one that should be so close to her takes her chances and dreams away from her, she married Curley and inadvertently runs into something much worse. She had a dream, found a chance and lost it thanks to a situation entirely out of her control, and things only go down hill from there. She is alone unable to do anything to escape the life that she now leads, no one is willing to talk to her, she is confined to the ranch and no longer has any chance of happiness, or simply of finding a friend. Yet again, a pursuer of the â€Å"American Dream† finds quite the opposite. She revels in Lennie’s companionship, temporarily feeling as if she were no longer alone in the world as Crooks did, and so tells him things that she has told no other, opening herself to him and finding that he accepts all that she says without doubt or uncertainty. However, as she learns of Lennie’s love for the touch and feel of soft things, she lets him closer without restraint or forethought, lets him touch and hold her hair. As she draws away in worry that her hair (and subsequently her looks) are being dishevelled, the one thing she believes herself to truly hold is mishandled, and so she pulls away, expressing her distress. Lennie panics and does the only thing that his simple mind can think of – resist, and so he grips hold of her tighter, unwilling to let go, he is confused and frightened and understands nought of what is happening. He fears that if George were to find out that he had made someone unhappy and done wrong by them he would abandon and discard him, fearing disapproval if his actions were ever discovered; and so he clamps his hand over her mouth, hoping that none would hear the noise. He grips even tighter as she struggles all the more desperately in the pain that his awesome strength is causing her, and he jerks and shakes her body in response, in an attempt to silence her. In this he succeeds, but to an extent that he never intended – he unwittingly breaks her neck. Yet again Lennie has caused great harm without ever realising it possible, and this time the outcome is greatly worse. She was always alone, always without somebody, even those closest to her appear to have wished against her happiness; John Steinbeck signifies this to us by never naming Curley’s wife – she was never important to the person, and the people, that she should have been. As soon as she finds someone that was conceivably different, perhaps wasn’t like all the others, she takes it all too far too soon, without thinking of the consequences. As a result she loses everything. The story ends in the pursuit of Lennie, George goes after him with the other men for he cannot let them get to him first and it is here that we are reminded of Candy’s words upon his own companion, his pet dog, â€Å"I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t have let no stranger shoot my dog.† George finally catches up with Lennie at their meeting point where they stayed that first night before making their way onto the ranch. Lennie has been plagued by images and hallucinations from his past and his imagination, so distraught has he become over doing something so wrong and upsetting George in such a huge way, without ever intending to he managed to take away every hope the two had of achieving their dream all thanks to the pressure put upon him to do right by everyone, make no mistakes and allow none to hear of the rest, which leads to him causing more problems than ever before. George has Lennie imagine their dream once more, for that was always how Lennie was happiest – imagining his future, escaping from the present. It is in this moment that George puts the gun to the back of Lennie’s head, and, fighting off his shaking hand, pulls down upon the trigger. He never wanted to, but he had to – this was the only possible choice George could have made for the ultimately innocent Lennie, nothing he could do would have been easier, or better, for Lennie. George in doing so loses his one and only companion, every hope he ever had of being somebody and every hope of those around him that became a part of their dream – all in that instant every hope was lost. Such is the despair that Candy finds it difficult to let go, he wants to continue the dream and to finish it, despite all which has happened, but he knows that is never possible now. Lennie was the one that held everything, everyone, together and gave them all hope and a chance, and now he was gone. The Withered Arm tells us a story of the ordeal of Rhoda Brook, her son, Farmer Lodge and his newly married wife, Gertrude, as Thomas Hardy chooses to constantly switch your attention, not concentrating on single character’s loneliness and hardships, but that of four. We first meet Rhoda Brook working in the cow sheds, a milkmaid, and we instantly recognise how emotionally isolated and detached from others she is. As the other characters about her chat among themselves she chooses to remain apart, and uninvolved, from them all. We see how alone and different from the other simple farm hands she is, â€Å"He hasn’t spoken to her for years,† whilst they talk about her and the notorious love affair she had with the Farmer Lodge – and his recent marriage to a young lady not from nearby, but the city. She is one apart from the rest, not like them, and no longer does she care or worry over their words and thoughts of her. She remains impassive throughout the conversation and the others comments about her, â€Å"She knew she had slyly been called a witch.† Her physical loneliness and separation, probably much out of choice, is also elaborated upon as â€Å"She milked slightly apart from the rest,† as well as through the description of where she has chosen to live, â€Å"their course lay apart from the rest†. The truth about Rhoda and Farmer Lodge’s affair, now many years in the past, is widely known in the area. Long ago they were together and for unexplained reasons she was abandoned – perhaps upon the realisation of Rhoda’s pregnancy. The very thing meant to bring a couple closer together and bring with it happiness and companionship may have brought completely the opposite for Rhoda. However, Farmer Lodge has developed very materialistic views, adhering and conforming to those of the society he lives in. Rhoda was below his class, below him, and he could never have been seen in a permanent relationship with her because of that – society would never have accepted him. Another possible reason is that of Rhoda’s advancing years and waning beauty – her age is closer to that of Lodge’s and so his materialism again pushes him away from her as he chooses to marry a young and still beautiful girl not long out of her teen.This is what he feels he must have – the best. With the arrival of Gertrude Lodge the final brick is laid in the wall standing between Rhoda and her happiness, between her and Lodge and both of them and their son. We recognise instantly that Gertrude is neither country-born nor country-bred, and knows little of her new life and what lies ahead. From the beginning she is almost completely alone – she is a young lady, highborn, and not long out of her teens, lady-like and beautiful, and there are none like her that she can communicate with. Gertrude worries much over others’ opinions of her, as she desires so much to be readily accepted into her new community. However, things are not to be all she could hope for, as she soon realises how alone she is to be as society separates her from the majority of those around her, thanks to the strict taboos on cross-class relationships and of a lady socialising with those of the lower class. When Rhoda learns of Gertrude’s arrival she has her son discover ever detail and feature of the girl, sizing her up and comparing herself to Gertrude in her jealousy, for she believes that it should be she, not Gertrude, that Farmer Lodge should have married and is bitterly angry that he refuses to acknowledge their son and even what they both had between each other as anything but insignificant and irrelevant. The son that Rhoda and Lodge both had together is yet another great example of the loneliness that this story portrays as his mother’s loneliness and emotional feelings merely add to that of his own. Hardy chooses to give him no name, as did Steinbeck with Curley’s wife, emphasising how unimportant and worthless he is in the eyes of those that he should mean so much to. His father rejects him outright – barely ever acknowledging his presence, â€Å"He took no outward notice of the boy whatsoever,† and when he does it is only as an inferior and one of no consequence as the boy is described as â€Å"Just one of the neighbourhood.† Even his own mother, with whom he has lived for all his years, is unconcerned with him, so obsessed and incensed with her own dilemma that she simply uses him as ammunition, and justification, of her right over others to Lodge. He is used as a spy upon Gertrude and Lodge by his mother, if not that then he is always at work upon one household duty or another, and despite all that he does none of it seems to satisfy his mother. He is barely ever given any affection at all, seemingly only useful for errands and chores that Rhoda cannot bring herself to do. Despite her anger over Farmer Lodge’s total lack of acceptance of their son, she too does much the same, and never realises the frustrations that he hides underneath as a result of this all, â€Å"His mother not observing that he was cutting a notch with his pocket knife into the beech-backed chair.† The son has no father figure to follow, but certainly not a good example, and his mother tries to set him one no better – she doesn’t even make the effort. Rhoda develops an obsession with Gertrude whom she has neither met nor even seen. Such is her fixation that one night she is visited in a troubled dream by an image, the distorted and repulsive impression of Gertrude that Rhoda has built up in her mind through her bitter jealousy. â€Å"The figure thrust forward its left hand mockingly, so as to make the wedding ring it wore glitter in Rhoda’s eyes.† This thing that Rhoda believes Gertrude to be taunts her, thrusting the proof of her marriage to Farmer Lodge before her very eyes – the thing that Rhoda herself so covets and desires for herself. As the creature draws closer, Rhoda grips its arm in fright and hurls it to the floor. One day Gertrude visits Rhoda in her small house upon the hill, and Rhoda sees her for what she really is. Gertrude, in her loneliness in Lodge’s great manor house, comes to Rhoda for companionship, and in her she finds a friend. At first Rhoda is unresponsive, but slowly she begins to come round, to see through all the lies she has told herself all too often in her resentment at being alone. However, all is not to be so perfectly resolved, as we learn of Gertrude’s arm – the strange marks, like as that of fingers’, upon the flesh and over time they gradually worsen and deteriorate. â€Å"It looks almost like finger marks†¦as if some witch, or the devil himself, had taken a hold of me there, and blasted the flesh.† Gertrude’s other sorrow becomes apparent as she too has realised the faith that the farmer puts into face value and beauty – for she believes that he will begin to love her less if the arm does not heal as it should. As a result, over time, Gertrude begins to preoccupy herself and obsess about her arm as Rhoda did over Farmer Lodge and it continues to worsen. No one understands its nature, no one knows of a cure and Gertrude, stricken with worry and concern, turns again to Rhoda, following perhaps a maid’s, or a worker’s, advice, and the irony in this is how many would believe Rhoda to be the guilty party, the witch, cursing upon Gertrude and that she of all people would know her adversary best. Rhoda meanwhile says nothing upon the matter of the arm, merely inquiring upon it, hoping that it might recover. For Rhoda neither understands what effect she has had upon Gertrude, nor knows how she caused it – much of the time she vainly tells herself that it is nothing but a coincidence. All the same, Rhoda apprehensively leads Gertrude across the hills and fields one day to Conjuror Trendle, a man renowned for powers that other people believe in more than he. â€Å"He affected not to believe largely in his own powers and when warts that had been shown him for the cure miraculously disappear†¦he would say lightly, ‘Oh I only drink a glass of grog upon ’em†¦perhaps its all chance’, and immediately turn the subject.† Trendle lives many miles apart from other men, separated by their views and taboos of that society upon witchcraft and anything related. He has been cast away by their prejudices all because he has a talent that they neither possess nor understand, and they fear him for this. He merely uses what he has to help people as best he can, getting nothing but fear and aversion in return, and this he does for Gertrude too. Despite the rumours and whispers that people speak behind his back, he does what he knows to be best all the same – rejecting the constraints of society for his own freedom, and in turn having much of it taken away. He shows to Gertrude the image of an enemy, the only one capable of causing such a blight, and Rhoda’s fears are to be realised as, despite Gertrude never telling her who the image she saw was, she never spoke to Rhoda again, never mentioned the arm and never called around her house, simply looking for a companion, again – for now her unsee n assailant had a face, that of Rhoda. Over a very short period their friendship began to break down very quickly, almost instantly as realisation had dawned upon Gertrude, and so she never saw anything of Rhoda, or her son, again for many years and eventually the two both slipped out of the community and were never seen again – they were forced out by the fears of others, by Rhoda’s desires of things that were no longer hers to covet and by the entire community, for none really cared. Gertrude was now truly alone and without a single companion- her husband no longer even looked at her, such was his revulsion of the withering of her arm and displeasure at the fact that she had not even managed to produce him an heir in all their time together. Gertrude’s beauty was waning as the full anguish of the arm and being so alone in the world assailed her. She became obsessed with the arm and the search for cures, attempting every crackpot remedy that she could find in her maddened struggle – but none ever worked or had any effect. Driven into desperation by her husband’s and society’s demands for young ladies to be beautiful and perfect always, for Gertrude fears the rejection of her husband as Rhoda was rejected many years ago. In many ways this despair and incensed search for a cure drove even larger a void between Gertrude and her husband, for in the end it was both she and the arm driving him away, so obsessed did she become – much thanks to the pressures and expectations of the world around her. Again she goes to visit Trendle in the vain hope that perhaps he will be able to cure her at last, however, this time she makes the journey alone – showing just how much more lonely and separated from others she has become. Upon arriving she sees Trendle, now an old man and barely able to even leave his house – he has lost even that little bit of freedom that life had allowed him and has absolutely no one but himself to rely on, and no one to be there when he dies. In his last days, Trendle tells her simply what had to be done – he was too old to help now, she would have to cope alone with this task as always, but he could point her in the right direction. She agrees to all that he tells her, whatever it may be, such is her desire to again be beautiful for her husband again and to allow her to again conform to the views of those around her – much the opposite choice to that of Conjuror Trendle. Gertrude must touch the body of an executed man just cut down from a hanging – not dead for more than an instant so as to turn the blood of Gertrude and cure the withering of the arm. Finally, after many weeks wait the chance arrives and Gertrude’s prayers, driven to wishing upon the death of a fellow man, are answered and she strikes up a deal with the old, isolated hangman, separated from others by the nature of his trade, who was not wholly unused to requests of her sort. The condemned that is to become Gertrude’s saviour is a young man, charged of arson – the burning down of an old warehouse. The young man was apparently simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but an example had to be made to satisfy the people. On the allotted night, Gertrude goes to the hangman as planned, and he then leads her to the open casket and she pulls back the covering and touches the figure beneath. To her horror she sees it to be Rhoda’s own son – the son of Farmer Lodge. Gertrude backs off in dismay and turns to discover both Rhoda and Lodge standing behind her. Rhoda shouts in anger and pushes Gertrude away from them both, for even now she still stands between the Farmer Lodge and their son once again – as always Gertrude comes between Rhoda and Lodge, always in the way of Rhoda’s hopes, desires and always keeping her completely alone. Gertrude screams in fear and falls to the floor, for the shock and extreme stress, together with the draining nature of the arm finally get the best of her, for she has died. Her blood had been turned, but all too far. Here the story concludes, as Rhoda moves farther away and separates herself from the local community entirely yet again, totally alone thanks to her own bitterness. Even after her son is lost still nobody goes to pay their respects or offer their company – she becomes even more alone than ever, all thanks to her own negligence. Farmer Lodge is also alone now, perhaps as he deserved, for his uncaring and selfish ways led to the grief of many and his dishonesty to the death of his wife for he broke his marriage vows that he made before God – â€Å"In sickness and in health.† His wife is dead and his son is lost forever and with him any chance of ever having an heir to all his estate. In his despair Lodge sells all his farm and land and moves away – only now do we realise how truly alone he has become, and all thanks to him, his materialism and conforming to what society dictates as to how he should live his life. He offers Rhoda an annual income, as an attempt at a final reconciliation but she never accepts it and none see her again. He loses everything and is doomed to die alone, leaving us later to discover that he has left all that is his to a reformatory for boys, showing how he did have thoughts and feelings regarding his son, but never had the strength to show them which is perhaps his greatest sin. Both Lodge and Rhoda isolated themselves from others and both are now even lonelier as a result of this. Gertrude’s vanity may have played a part in her own undoing, represented by the extremes to which she was willing to go as she even wished for the death of a fellow man, guilty or innocent alike, but it was Lodge, and those around her, that drove her to such desperation and in the end she dies alone, above all emotionally, as her husband stands apart from her with Rhoda. The young son meanwhile, brought to his end by Gertrude’s desperate wishing is always portrayed in Hardy’s novel as the innocent throughout, trapped between his two parents never being truly loved or cared for – always alone and always innocent. Towards the end we assume that perhaps he has got involved in a youth gang. This leads to his later arrest at the crime scene showing that no father figure and role model at all would have perhaps been better than that of a bad and unloving one who rejects him outright, he may have been innocent but he never had anyone who would stand up for him. This rejection by his father and ignorant negligence on his mother’s part leads to his tragic death, similar to that of Candy’s wife – who also remains unnamed as they are never important to those that they should be, leaving both of them completely alone and hopeless. The unfortunate tragedy that we see at the end of each novel is but one of the many similarities between these two novels. As we begin, each story features two central characters, George and Lennie, Rhoda and Gertrude, around which the story unfolds. As they live their lives we are introduced to many others, each with their own individual problems and dilemmas besetting them. These unlikely friendships between our central characters ultimately end in a tragedy, first with one unknowingly causing great problems for the other and finally one must put the other out of their misery, and at the same time condemn themselves to loneliness and hopelessness yet again. In Of Mice and Men we see at the root of everyones’ problems the desperation to achieve and become somebody – to find the American Dream. The society in which they have lived tells them that they are nothing without achievement, and they all agree for much of their sadness originates from this feeling of worthlessness. In George and Lennie’s case it drives them onwards, in search of their dream, but the others do not have the friendship that they each possess and have no hope of getting anywhere. Candy is old, crippled, with no hope of being able to work for something anymore and no hope of ever actually finding a companion as everyone deserts him each day. Crooks has nobody, he lost everything thanks to American society and the fact that the dream doesn’t work if you are black, he is hopeless for all time. Curley’s wife, a seemingly dangerous character of this story is isolated for just that. She has nobody bar her husband, who neither loves her nor listens, separated from others by both him and other peoples’ fear of the stigma that would ensure should they become her friend. She had her one chance at achieving something taken away from her many years ago. For Lennie the necessity to conform and do right by people is too much for him – he can never understand and in the end this leads to his death. His fear of disapproval forces him to take a life without ever intending to. It is upon George’s shoulders to end the story, for there is only one possibility – he must end all his hopes, condemn himself to being alone with his guilt, every chance that they had together and those around them found upon their arrival for he must take Lennie’s life to save him from misery. This pressure from American society and the unbending rules on what people should and shouldn’t be causes so much dissatisfaction and unrest, leaving everyone feeling hopeless and alone, that they have been brought up to believe. They thought they had a chance, and they found nothing. The Withered Arm, on the other hand, is set in a world of tradition, of British society and its harsh social structure. In everyone’s mind there is desperation to conform to the rules and agree that unless you are upper class, or in the case of the women – married, you are no one. Rhoda isolates herself from all others in her desperation to become someone, Farmer Lodge’s wife, and be counted and in doing so sentences herself to a life of loneliness, and starts much more for many others. For Gertrude there is a desperation to be what the materialistic views of those around her tell her to be, and in her search for this she ends up isolating her self even more than before. The young son, who nobody ever really looks to care for, there is isolation of a different kind and through no fault of his own. His parents never truly acknowledge him as their son and this ultimately ends in his tragic death. For Farmer Lodge, it is his materialistic conformism that causes many problems, and he isolates himself from all others in this story until the end, where it is he and Rhoda left and doomed to each be utterly alone for their sins.